


Lion Heart

by iamleegracey



Series: HP!Verse Series [3]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: F/M, Female Byun Baekhyun, Female Huang Zi Tao | Z.Tao, Female Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Female Lu Han
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 14:29:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13125633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamleegracey/pseuds/iamleegracey
Summary: Minseok's mundane and peaceful life went down the drain because of a charmed quill. Or maybe not.





	Lion Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted at Exolliarmus round 2016.

Quills.

Of course it’s important for a student to have quills. It’s a very essential thing for a student studying at Hogwarts (and probably to other wizarding schools as well), and it’s the second most important thing. Next to the wand of course.

But never had Minseok thought that in the past seven years that she’s studying at Hogwarts would a piece of feather with an inked tip be the reason of her demise.

Or maybe she’s just exaggerating. But still, could there be something worse than using an enchanted quill that writes your deepest, darkest thoughts?

Minseok wouldn’t have minded, after all she doesn’t have deepest, darkest thoughts lurking at the back of her mind –well maybe except the part where she wants to Avada Kedavra her friends to the next lifetime sometimes. Nope, no dark thoughts there. So that Monday morning, she should have had been more alert than ever when she found out that all her quills magically disappeared from her sling bag after her first period, which happened to be a very interesting DADA class with the newly appointed professor. She should have thought better than to grab that suspiciously lying quill on one of the tables on the room before dashing her way towards her second class – the loathed Ancient Runes.

Oh, she should have known better.

Because now here she was, sitting on her desk while eyeing the parchment containing that morning’s surprise exam. And no, she wasn’t surprised because of the sudden exam that morning, she was surprised because of what the quill made her wrote on top of the parchment where her name should go.

_I fancy the pants off of Zhang Yixing._

It seemed like the quill didn’t found any deep, dark thought lingering on Minseok’s mind, so it chose the next best thing: writing her concealed and very one sided infatuation on that term’s Head Boy and Gryffindor’s prized chaser, Zhang Yixing. Of all the things the quill could write, why this? It would have been acceptable, funnier even, if it chose to write how she planned on killing her best friend in a thousand and one ways, Avada Kedavra not yet included mind you.

Cold sweat started to roll down her back as she scratched what she wrote –well what the quill wrote and tried once more to write her own name. But instead of writing Kim Minseok in her usual elegant handwriting, a rather bold script with the words ‘ _I definitely would shag the daylights out of him if I can’_ was what appeared on her parchment.

“Bloody hell.” Minseok cursed under her breath as she tried so inconspicuously to glance over her shoulders to see if any of her seatmates caught a glimpse of what was written on her parchment. Then she scratched what she wrote once more, and this time harder than it was before that the parchment almost bore a hole. And it’s not like she could use her wand to magically erase the words on her parchment, nor could she charm the quill back to being normal again.

She only has one option and even if she didn’t want to choose it, it’s not like she has other choices. She sneaked a glance over to her right where her best friend Lu Han was seated, chewing the tip of her quill while staring at her own quiz in concentration.

“Lu. I need help.” Minseok softly hissed, hoping to Helga Hufflepuff that Professor Shim didn’t heard her.

“What?”

“I need your spare quill. Now.” Minseok hissed once more and this time she was grateful that they were sitting at the back of the room. Lu Han looked at her through the corners of her deer like eyes before muttering her reply under her breath.

“Why? Is there something wrong with yours?”

“Yes. Now give me yours.”

“I don’t have spare ones.” Lu Han faked a cough when Professor Shim looked at their direction with those sharp eyes of his.

“What do you mean you don’t have one? You always have one.” Minseok was close to having a mental breakdown as soon as their professor went back to what she was doing. By that time, Minseok was already considering forfeiting the quiz just to avoid the impending embarrassment brought upon by the cursed quill. Because who in their right minds would write how they freaking fancy a bloke on a test paper?

Minseok saw Lu Han shrugged before continuing on answering the damned quiz on the parchment. Honestly this girl, what happened to loyalty and friendship? Minseok contemplated on crumpling her own quiz and throwing it at Lu Han. She would have done so, honestly, if not for the hand that suddenly snatching her quiz as well as the velvety voice of her own professor drawling beside her.

“And what do we have here, Ms. Kim?” Dread quickly washed up through Minseok as she watched in horror while Professor Shim looked at her thoroughly scratched parchment with mild amusement. Merlin, of all the professors that would caught her red handedly, why did it have to be Professor Shim? This guy enjoys harassing students and yes she can testify to this. After all, Professor Shim used to be that seventh year Slytherin who enjoys bullying lower classmen along with his friends. Minseok was still a second year back then, though she could still remember how Professor Shim –Changmin back then, would glow in enthusiasm whenever he throws random hexes and jinxes at unknowing students.

Ah, look how time flew by. Everything changed, everything but Shim Changmin.

It all happened too fast and then the scratches that she used to cross out what the quill had written earlier were gone. The words she so wanted to erase were back and taunting her with those elegant curves and rich ink. And the enthusiasm that Professor Shim had whenever he bullies someone was definitely present at that moment.

Shite.

“Interesting.” Professor Shim drawled once more, amusement lingering with every syllable he spat and by that time everyone’s eyes were on Minseok. She swore she heard Lu Han snickering beside her though that may be her senses going overdrive with too much eyes and attention on her. And then Professor Shim started to talk once more and Minseok wished he would have just shut his trap just for once. “How about you go and read this to everyone else, Ms. Kim, so they can get in on what made me interested, yes?”

Double shite.

Minseok stared at her professor in defiance, an act that sent a sadistic chuckle out of Professor Shim. The older guy cocked an eyebrow at Minseok as he waved the parchment on his hand. Merlin, why can’t it be Professor Park, or better yet Professor Bell who caught her on this situation? They would’ve had treated this very differently.

Oh, of course they would. Who was she kidding? Those two are the Hogwarts’ founders’ gifts to students. Add the fact that Professor Park is her head of house and the situation she’s in now would turn out differently and much to her contentment.

“Well, we don’t have all day now, do we, Ms. Kim? Or would you rather I dock points off of your house?”

“Why don’t you then?” Minseok muttered under her breath, thankful that the professor didn’t heard what she had just said. Or maybe he did, judging from that sly smile he’s sporting, and he just chose to let it pass to humiliate her more. A sigh escaped from Minseok before she forced herself to stand and take the parchment from her oh-so-perfect professor. She took a deep breath and glared at the mocking words on top her quiz parchment and hoped her voice won’t quiver.

“I fancy the pants off of Zhang Yixing.” Minseok hissed the words with so much anger just as snickers and giggles erupted from the students around her. She glared at Professor Shim, who was smirking in barely contained amusement and Minseok swore she could shove that god damned quill up his arse. If the proverbial stick already shoved up still gives enough space that is.

“And…?”

Minseok clenched her fist around the parchment so hard that it crumpled and nearly crumbled on her fingers as she forced the words out of her mouth. How she so wanted the ground to swallow her up right then and there.

“I…I definitely would shag the daylights out of him if I can.” As soon as the words came out of her mouth, Minseok felt her blood rushing to her cheeks while everyone inside the room erupted in laughter. Bloody hell, even Lu Han was tearing up while clutching her torso in fits of laughter. Traitor. This is the part where she swore she could have been in Gryffindor with her streak of bravery fueled up by anger showing up every now and then. “And what are you gonna do about it, huh?”

This seemed to catch Professor Shim off guard, as mirth quickly left his face and replaced by a sarcastic smile that quickly shut the whole room up. He snatched the paper from Minseok’s quivering hands –due to anger of course, and smirked at Minseok. She wasn’t that dumb to know that the smirk spelled a thousand and one troubles for her.

“Nothing, obviously, Ms. Kim. It’s your predicament after all. Though, I would appreciate a small thank you of some sort.” Professor Shim drawled before tilting his head on one of the corners of the room. It was only then that Minseok painfully realized which house that Hufflepuff was sharing the class with. She didn’t even cared that she had detention that evening, nor did Professor Shim broke his promise and docked a few points from her house. And that the bell finally rang just a few minutes too late and students started gathering their things and passing their papers to a smirking Professor Shim. It was not of her greatest interest at that moment, for at that moment her eyes caught those always clueless ones of Zhang Yixing with a confused smile and dimple making its grand appearance.

Great. Just great.

* * *

“Blimey, I didn’t know you wanted to _shag_ Yixing. So bad. Bloody hell, I didn’t even know you fancy the bloke! Some kind of best friend you are, Minseok.” Lu Han chuckled as she sat beside Minseok on Hufflepuff’s table that lunch time.

“Knowing you Lu Han, you’d tell Sehun who would tell his friends who would tell their other friends about my fascination over Yixing.”

“Glad to know you trust me, Minseok.”

“What I’m saying is that I don’t like telling people who I fancy. You of all people should know that.”

“But for the record, you just did earlier in front of the whole class and Zhang Yixing himself.”

Minseok could only grumble, resisting the urge to curse her best friend under the watchful eyes of Headmistress McGonagall, before she quickly took a gulp on the goblet that magically appeared in front of her. Ah, pomegranate juice, just what she definitely needs at that moment. It momentarily took off her mind from that morning’s events, momentarily being the operative.

A bag noisily dropped beside Minseok along with a high pitched and overly excited voice rang through Minseok’s ears. Minseok knew that moment that pomegranate juice won’t save her this time.

“So, what’s this I’m hearing about Minseok shagging the daylights out of Yixing at Ancient Runes class? I was just with him on Potions class and the next period he gets to shag you! I knew I should have taken that elective!” Minseok resisted the urge to bang her head on the table as Byun Baekhyun finally made an appearance at their table once more. She could definitely tell that this is going to be a very long lunch break.

“Baekhyun, the Gryffindor table is on the other side.”

“I know. But in case you haven’t noticed, Gryffindors don’t really give a fuck on where they eat lunch nowadays.” Baekhyun grinned and scooted closer to Minseok with eyes sparkling with mischief and clearly spelled trouble for the latter. “So Minseok…was he any good or is it all just in his looks?”

“For Merlin’s sake, Baekhyun! I didn’t shag Zhang Yixing!” Minseok exclaimed just at that exact same moment that the noisy buzz that the unusually full to the brim Great Hall always had suddenly died down. She could still hear the faint echo of her voice bouncing of the walls while eyes studied her once more. Great.

“Sorry guys, she’s having a mental breakdown.” Baekhyun staged a loud whisper that almost everyone in the room could hear, complete with a mocking sympathetic expression before majority of the occupants of the room resumed to what they were doing. And then there was Professor Shim’s evil chuckle from the teachers’ table amidst the lively afternoon buzz that’s slowly rising. She took the risk and threw a menacing glare at the guy who just shrugged her off with another smirk.

Someday, she’ll have her oh-so-sweet revenge at the guy, she swears.

“Yet, Minseok. You didn’t shag Zhang Yixing just _yet_.” Lu Han singsong before both she and Baekhyun chuckled and Minseok wanted so bad to hurt her so-called friends. Like Avada Kedavra kind of bad. She was this close to actually taking her wand yet she chose to avert her gaze towards nowhere, and it unwittingly landed on Gryffindor’s table where Zhang Yixing was sitting. Time seemed to have abruptly stopped when Minseok’s eyes locked onto the boy’s droopy ones and she swore everything seemed to have gotten too bright.

And then the god damned dimple made its appearance on Yixing’s right cheek and along with a small wave, Minseok was rendered motionless.

“She’s got it bad, doesn’t she? Really, I don’t get why you like that bloke. He’s too…aloof and oblivious for his own good.” Baekhyun muttered as Minseok quickly woke up from her trance, and only then did she realized that Yixing was already gone and she was staring into the empty space where he was just a few moments ago. Minseok felt her cheeks warm up while her friends started another round of chuckles once more. She immediately whipped her head back to the table where her forgotten lunch awaited and started digging on it. The sooner she finishes it, the faster she can get away from Lu Han and Baekhyun’s evil schemes.

“Can’t blame the girl though, I’d definitely bang that piece of hot ass any given time of the day.”

“Sehunnie’s not quite enough for you now?”

“Not really. Still having a blast with him, though I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t mind a threesome with Yixing sometimes. The kid’s adventurous anyways.” Lu Han nonchalantly said and it made Minseok raise her head with a scandalous expression while Baekhyun almost fell ungracefully from her seat while guffawing in the most unattractive manner.

“Merlin’s blue balls, Lu Han! That’s disturbing!” Minseok exclaimed while Lu Han just shrugged, traces of an amused smirk starting to make its way onto her lips. “Well, shite. Why am I even friends with you two?”

“Because you totally love us.” Baekhyun said in a matter of fact tone while trying to regain her breath as Lu Han nodded confidently. “And besides, you perfectly won’t know what to do without us.”

“Shut up.”

“But honestly, why’d you even do that? Write your sexual fantasies about Yixing on Professor Shim’s exam of all things! Have you gone mad?” Baekhyun muttered before taking a bite from her cheesy lasagna.

“I didn’t write it, you know. Well not intentionally.” Minseok sighed as she pushed her platter of fish and chips and took the god damned quill along with some spare parchments. She placed them on the barely clear table and started to doodle on the parchment, and as expected the doodles were replaced with another secret of Minseok.

_I used to have a crush on Kim Jongdae._

“Seriously, Jongdae? You could do better than that eternally grinning oaf.” Baekhyun muttered as Minseok groaned and bowed her head on the table. Then her friends shot her a deadpanned look that told Minseok they don’t believe her. Another sigh and Minseok wrote once more.

_Sometimes I wanna Avada Kedavra my friends._

With this, the two girls laughed and Minseok swore her face couldn’t have gotten redder.

“Oh Merlin, you love us too much to do that.” Lu Han said in between chuckles as Baekhyun wiped a tear threatening to fall while she tried so hard to contain her laughter. Minseok glared at the two of them before writing once more, and this time she used all the remaining space on the parchment.

_That dimple of Yixing’s is to die for._

_Yixing’s Chinese accent sends shivers up my spine._

_A sweaty Yixing after quidditch practice is a hot Yixing._

_What would I give to sit beside Yixing during classes?_

_I wish I was courageous enough to talk to him._

_A date with him on every Hogsmeade weekend would be perfect._

“Does my Chinese accent send shivers up your spine too?” Lu Han smirked before Baekhyun guffawed once more.

“Well, you are courageous enough to announce on Ancient Runes class that you want to shag Zhang Yixing. That’s a start.” Baekhyun smirked and Minseok then decided to crumple the parchment and set it aside before giving the quill to Lu Han and producing another spare parchment.

“If in case you don’t get it yet, the quill’s charmed. It writes whatever secrets the holder’s keeping. You try it.”

“Well, your secrets aren’t that…concealed anymore.” Lu Han raised a bemused eyebrow at Minseok before deciding to indulge her. As soon as she finished writing, her cheeks quickly turned beet red with whatever the quill made her write.

_Kyungsoo and I made out once on a hidden alcove near the one eyed witch’s statue._

“With the Head Girl? Seriously? Doesn’t she date Jongin nowadays?”

“That was once, during third year, okay! Nobody will hear about this! Especially not Sehun. Who knows what kind of disturbing kinky idea that kid would think of once he found out about this.” Lu Han hissed and Minseok tuned out the last statement in turn to resist the urge to smirk at her friend. Oh, this is definitely black mail material. That parchment will serve her very well, however disturbing it was.

“You and your bisexual ways, you whore.” Baekhyun chuckled before snatching the paper from Lu Han. “Lemme try if this really does work.”

A few messy scribbles and Baekhyun’s finished, and both Minseok and Lu Han wished they never read whatever Baekhyun’s secret was. It was sure to give them nightmares for the next few lifetimes at least.

_Tried polyjuice potion once to see how big Chanyeol really was. It was definitely worth it._

And to top it all off, Baekhyun didn’t even looked the least bit guilty nor ashamed with her dark secret exposed.

“What? A girl’s curious.” Baekhyun shrugged and Minseok tried to shake off the mental images brought upon the revelation. She quickly snatched the parchment and crumpled it to a ball before stuffing it in her bag. Who knows what kind of trouble it would bring upon them. Surely no amount of detention will suffice if a teacher gets a hand on this.

“So this is why you’re asking me for a spare quill earlier. Where exactly did you even get this quill?” Lu Han asked as she pushed her plate with distaste, her appetite quickly gone from what she had just read.

“At DADA’s classroom earlier.”

“Ohhh, so how’s Professor Nam? Gosh, time really flew by. It seemed just like yesterday when he was plotting pranks on the Gryffindor’s common room to be used on Slytherins.” Baekhyun mused as she looked over the faculty where the new professor settled.

“Same old prankster, Baek. I’d think you and your housemates would definitely have a blast on his class.” Lu Han said bemusedly. “I wouldn’t doubt he was the one who left that charmed quill for old time’s sake.”  

“And it’s just my luck that it was me who took that quill before dashing towards Professor Shim’s class. Because seriously, if I were to summarize my Hogwarts years, I’d definitely say it’s a war of pranks between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Hell, even the professors are joining in. I should have just skipped Ancient Runes earlier.”

“But you didn’t, right?” Lu Han smirked and Minseok raised an eyebrow at Lu Han, urging her to continue. “Because aside from the fact that you’re a very hardworking student, it’s one of the classes you share with Yixing. Why would you miss it?”

Minseok could only grumble before gathering her things. Sometimes these two are insufferable, and since the day ahead is still long, she opted to leave the Great Hall and her chuckling friends behind for some alone time.

And to look for a sensible quill, of course.

* * *

She didn’t found any usable quills for the rest of the day.

Minseok thanked Merlin and Hufflepuff and Gryffindor and Ravenclaw (but never Slytherin, after all Professor Shim was one) that she didn’t have any surprise quizzes for the rest of the day. Hey, it was Transfiguration and Charms after all, and Professors Bell and Park definitely wouldn’t make her afternoon as hellish as her morning.

And apparently, all of the Hogwarts populace had heard about how quiet Minseok proclaimed to Professor Shim and some of the seventh year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs how she fancied the pants off of the head boy and wanted to shag the daylights out of him, if the stares and hushed whispers behind her back was any indication. Yet it was easily forgotten, for a prank that had rendered a sixth year Gryffindor completely bald happened that afternoon during sixth year’s Potions class.

Detention with Professor Shim was dreadful, to simply put it. The sadistic guy made her arrange a number of stacked parchments –assignments and quizzes apparently, at least 3 feet tall. Then she has to segregate which ones are quizzes, assignments or exercises and separate the scored ones from the unchecked ones. Stupid guy was too lazy, honestly. Minseok thinks she’s seen enough papers graded _Poor_ , _Dreadful_ and _Troll_ to last her a few lifetimes.

The week came and passed all too soon, and by that time Minseok ditched the damned quill for a new and sensible one. She even tested the new quill before she went to class that day just for greater measure. And then there was another prank, instigated by seventh year Gryffindors this time (Baekhyun being the mastermind, of course), on Slytherin’s Park Chanyeol during Transfiguration class. The poor bloke would definitely think twice about eating suspicious chocolate frogs lying about on classrooms from now on.

Thank Merlin for Gryffindor pranksters. But she should have known that this was the calm before the storm.

It would have been an uneventful week in Minseok’s opinion had it not been for… rather suspicious events that left her baffled.

Tuesday morning while spacing out during breakfast (she’s just stealing glances at Yixing from the Gryffindor table), she noticed how Yixing would always scrunch his right cheek adorably while writing something on a notebook –probably quidditch plays, making that dimple hidden on his cheek show a lot.

Wednesday afternoon while reading a rather interesting novel on the campus grounds, Minseok seem to have picked up a rather cute and accented English. Looking up, she saw Yixing talking with his mates rather enthusiastically and loudly a few feet away from her. Needless to say, she found herself hot and bothered and running towards the nearest girls’ bathroom.

Thursday evening as Minseok went her way towards the Hufflepuff common room from the library, she somehow encountered Yixing, fresh from quidditch practice with his practice robes sticking to his lean body like second skin and hair wet with sweat and plastered rather sexily on his forehead and neck.

Yixing smiled as he passed by her, dimple showing once more and Minseok found herself rooted on the spot for a good 5 minutes even after Yixing left. It was only when she was already at the comforts of her bed did she realized that the Gryffindor tower was on the opposite direction from where Yixing was going.

Friday morning, with a great stroke of luck, Lu Han was excused from Herbology class which leaves the spot beside Minseok empty. And with a greater stroke of luck, Yixing was uncharacteristically late. Having Minseok’s place nearer to the greenhouse doors, Yixing chose to slip beside her with a sheepish smile.

“You don’t mind, do you? My usual place with my partner is farther and I don’t wanna risk disrupting Professor Longbottom with my dramatic entrance.” Yixing spoke with his deep, accented voice and Minseok could only nod dumbly. An hour and a half passed and Minseok admitted to herself that she didn’t picked up anything that Professor Longbottom said. She was too busy noticing how Yixing’s hand grazed against hers lightly with every small movement he does, how he would scrunch up his nose cutely whenever he’s trying to answer Professor Longbottom’s questions or when he gets confused and how he seems to bite his tongue adorably when he’s concentrating. And then, all too sudden he was bidding her goodbye with that charming smile and she received a sympathetic shook of head from Professor Longbottom as she went out of the room. She swore she also heard something along the lines of _‘history repeating itself’_ or something close to it.

“It’s peculiar, isn’t it?” Lu Han muttered during their afternoon break as she and Minseok buried themselves on books in one of the secluded areas on the library. They still have some time before their last class in an hour. Minseok raised her head and looked at Lu Han who had a thoughtful look on her face.

“What is?”

“Don’t you think Yixing’s acting…strange for the past few days?” Lu Han whispered, her eyes going back to the book on her lap. “I mean you did say that he seems to overuse that dimple and accent of his last Tuesday and Wednesday and he passed by you in all his sweaty glory yesterday still wearing his practice robes. And then he took my place beside you during Herbology class.”

Minseok shrugged and tried to act nonchalantly yet somehow deep inside her, a feeling of hopefulness bubbled up and started spreading warmth. She quickly pushed the feeling away.

“Probably coincidence.”

 “Oh I don’t think so. On your three o’clock now, Minseok.”  

Minseok scrunched up her brows before glancing over her right ever so slowly and carefully to see Yixing sitting on one of the tables with his friends and nonchalantly staring at them. Or rather her. A small squeak erupted from her before she turned back on her book with a blush on her cheeks.

“Told you so.”

“What the hell is he doing here? Doesn’t he, I don’t know, play a bit of quidditch at this time of the day?” Minseok muttered, trying to understand the words written on the book she was staring at and obviously failing.

“Wouldn’t you know that?” Lu Han smirked before closing her book and gathering her things.

“Where the hell are you going?” Minseok hissed as she watched Lu Han stand with her bag perfectly slung on her shoulders and books on her hands. She shrugged and tilted her head towards where Yixing was sitting.

“I need to see if Sehun’s giving Madame Pomfrey a hard time while he tries to break another bone of his. Really, what kind of sixth year thinks it’s a good idea to stand on a broom while hovering ten feet from the ground?” Lu Han sighed and waved at Minseok.

“The sixth-year-boyfriend-you-have kind, Lu Han.”

“Touché. And besides, I feel like I’m an intruder here or something with the way Yixing’s eyes seem to stare the hell out of you. I want details later.” And then Lu Han was gone. Such a friend she is. Her eyes glared at Lu Han’s back as she quickly strode out of her sight until a bag suddenly obscured her vision followed by a thick Chinese accent that immediately sent shivers on Minseok’s spine.

“The seat’s not taken, no? My mates kind of kicked me out of our table and everywhere else is already taken.” Minseok looked up to see Yixing wearing his Gryffindor uniform (sans the robes, oh those buffed arms and broad chest…) and smiling down on her –yes complete with the dimple and all she could do was nod dumbly while trying to will down the blush spreading on her cheeks. Yixing smiled once more before taking the seat Lu Han had occupied before and only then did Minseok realized how close the distance is between her and Yixing. If she would just tilt her head a little bit–

A shuffle in front broke her from her (fake) reverie and she looked up to see Yixing staring at her with his chin resting against his propped up palms. He seemed to have noticed her staring for he suddenly looked at her and flashed a small smile that sent Minseok swooning inside.

“So, Minseok, isn’t it? What’s up?”

“P-pardon?” Minseok stuttered and she mentally hexed herself in a thousand and one ways while Yixing chuckled at her fondly. And then there was that dimple again and her heart started beating so fast.

“Just asking how’s your day. Anything…interesting lately?” 

“Oh…just…well, as normal and mundane as a Hufflepuff’s day, you know.” Minseok chuckled nervously and quickly quieting down when Madame Han suddenly strolled by the hallway with her sharp eyes.

“Nice afternoon isn’t it, Madame Han?” Yixing smiled and Minseok swooned once more while Madame Han half glared at them, scrutinizing if they were doing some hanky-panky, funny business before she went her merry way. Yixing then turned to her once more, smile still plastered on his handsome face. “So, Hufflepuffs have mundane weeks? How can you guys have mundane weeks when you study at Hogwarts?”

Yixing’s accent seemed stronger whenever he’s curious, Minseok noted. And it didn’t help her to calm her rapidly beating heart and trembling insides. Not when Yixing was just a few inches in front of her, dimple making its appearance and accent too thick. A small cough and Minseok shook her thoughts away.

“Well, that’s what most Slytherins and Gryffindors say about us, anyway.”

“Frankly speaking, I do think Ravenclaws have rods up their arses more than half of the time. Don’t tell on me, yeah?” Yixing whispered before winking at Minseok.

_Be still, my beating heart._

“And besides, that thing you did at Ancient Runes was cool. I mean it’s not every day that a Hufflepuff dares to stand up to that professor, yet here you are rebutting his bullying tendencies. I’ve never seen Professor Shim so purple in the face.” A chuckle from Yixing erupted and Minseok swore she was in heaven, until she realized what Yixing was talking about. A mad blush made its way to Minseok’s cheeks and it did not go unnoticed by the guy in front of her. “Are you always this…quiet?”

_And are you always this talkative?_

“Um…well, it just kind of puzzles me that you’re talking to me right now.”

_Bloody Hell, Kim Minseok, what is wrong with you?_

“Oh.” Yixing’s smile immediately dropped and Minseok almost curse herself and her big mouth. She watched how Yixing contemplated on whether he should stand and leave or not. “Would you like me to, I don’t know, leave?”

“N-no!” Minseok squeaked and she felt her face flush when the occupants turned to her. She almost cursed as she shrank down and turned to Yixing once more who was wearing an amused expression. “I mean…”

She groaned and covered her flaming face with her hands and thought of banging her head against the table just to check if it would make her unconscious, and not even Yixing calling out to her would make her uncover her face.

Could this afternoon get worse?

Warm hands soon clasped around hers and gently pried them off of Minseok’s face and Minseok swore her face couldn’t get redder than it can for Yixing was in front of her –in fact too close that she could see how his lashes dusted over his cheeks– with that dimpled smile and crinkled eyes.

“You’re cute, did you know?”

An unattractive gurgle came out of Minseok and Yixing acknowledged it with a soft chuckle, his hands still wrapped around her small dainty ones and never letting go. Her heart did not just do somersaults. Nope.

“Can I walk you to your next class?”

Okay, her heart definitely did somersaults. And maybe even more. Minseok even wonders why she’s still alive with how her heart seemed to acquire an abnormal heartbeat pace. The next thing she knew, she was being whisked away from the library, with her sling bag hanging on her shoulder and her books tucked on Yixing’s arm while the boy was talking animatedly about anything and everything under the sun –quidditch, Slytherin Head Girl Kyungsoo as the devil incarnate herself, what prank Baekhyun and the rest of the Gryffindors are planning, how he has to restrain himself from joining because he’s the Head Boy and him acting clueless and confused to get out of sticky situations.

Not that she didn’t want this or anything but did she just had a memory lapse or something?

But the biggest mystery for Minseok is the fact that Yixing’s hand is still wrapped around hers as they walked on the hallway that lead to the dungeons. Wait, how did Yixing knew that her last class for the day is Potions? Before she could even ask, they were already standing in front of the classroom and Yixing was halfway through handing her books. And finally Minseok noticed the stares that the students around them were locked on her and Yixing.

“Uh…thanks?”

“No problem. See you tomorrow, Minseok.”

“Y-yeah. See you…” Minseok muttered and with one last smile, Yixing turned and whistled his way towards who knows where (but really, he’s off to his DADA class, not that Minseok had his timetable memorized or anything) and Minseok had to force her feet to work and walk her inside the room.

Minseok was halfway finished with her potion when a frightening conclusion hit her so hard she almost spilled her half boiling cauldron. Professor Kim shot her a worried look that she quickly returned with an apologetic smile before she turned to Lu Han beside her who was meticulously grinding up Ashwinder eggs for today’s potion –Amortentia of all potions.

“Lu, I think I perfectly know why Yixing’s acting peculiar!”

“Yeah?” Lu Han muttered as she carefully took a precise pinch of the grinded powder and gently dropped the granules on the bubbling cauldron. The bubbling liquid turned pink and a pleasant smell suddenly wafted through the air, making Lu Han smile in triumph. “I strongly smell coffee, grasses in the morning and Sehun’s perfume.”

Minseok ignored the permeating smell that conquered her senses –coffee, ddeokbokki and Yixing’s distinct scent of sandalwood and quidditch– and handed Lu Han a flask to transfer some of the liquid.

“No. Seriously. Remember lunch last Monday, when I was showing you that charmed quill?” Minseok said just as Professor Kim passed by their table and studied the flask that Lu Han was holding. An unusual smile made its way towards the professor’s face before he took the flask and awarded them five points each for finishing first with a perfect Amortentia and an _Outstanding_ grade for that day’s potion to top it all off.

Why can’t all Slytherin Professors be like Professor Kim?

“If it was Professor Shim, I would bet he’d force us to tell what we smell.” Lu Han rolled her eyes before she turned towards Minseok. “So, this thing with Yixing?”

“Oh, right! Coincidentally, or not, Yixing’s doing almost everything I’ve listed on that parchment I wrote on with that charmed quill. The dimple, the accent, Yixing wearing his quidditch practice robes, sitting next to me on a class and talking to me. It’s all perfectly accurate as is on the note.”

“But you still have the parchment right?”

“No. I crumpled it and set it aside before I–” A feeling of dread washed upon Minseok as she locked eyes with Lu Han. A knowing look passed between them and Minseok almost groaned.

“I’m so gonna kill Byun Baekhyun.”

* * *

 

“You’re not going? Why not?”

“I just don’t feel like it, Lu.”

“Liar. You’ve been telling me last Monday about buying some sugar quills and a box of Berty Bott’s since we’ve ran out of it.”

Minseok huffed as she lied back on the comfortable sofa and let her feet dangle on the arm rest. She barely slept the previous night, antsy that Yixing might really ask her out to Hogsmeade or if he really has her bloody parchment of deep, dark secrets.

“And besides, you’re not going to go anyway.” Minseok muttered as Lu Han looked at her indifferently.

“Don’t put the blame on me now, Minseok. In case you’ve forgotten, Sehun’s still at the hospital wing, having his bones regrown and I have to go there just so he wouldn’t act like a spoiled pureblood brat that he is.”

Minseok huffed indignantly as Lu Han chuckled at her before leaning forward and pinching her puffed out cheeks, to which Minseok slapped Lu Han’s hands away from her abused cheeks and rubbing them gently.

“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re waiting for Yixing to ask you out.”

“I’m not.” Minseok glared indignantly at Lu Han who just shrugged nonchalantly at her. Well, she’s not really waiting for Yixing, right? Nope. Definitely not.

“Whatever makes you sleep at night, Minseok. I’m just saying that you should, I dunno, stroll around the castle so he can get a glimpse of you instead of holing up here. And being the oblivious boy that he is, he might even stay in front of our dorm’s doors waiting for you until before dinner until he realizes you’re not here. Or worse, you’re hiding from him.”

“Then let him.”

“You’re a terrible liar. If I were you, you should thank Baekhyun for being such a great friend, and whoever left that quill on DADA classroom.”

“No. I want him to ask me to Hogsmeade willingly, not just because Baekhyun put in a word for me nor because of the damned parchment with my secrets.”

“Makes sense. Then again, I’m pretty sure you’d still go with him if he asks you later.” Lu Han then stood from the couch she was lounging on and straightened her clothes. “I’ll be off now, don’t stress yourself too much about this obsession of yours with Zhang Yixing. And don’t do what I would definitely not do.”

Lu Han then opened the circular, barrel-like door and slowly climbed up onto it (really, it’s such a hassle to get in and out of the Hufflepuff common room through a barely wide, sloping upwards tunnel. They’re not real life badgers, for goodness’ sake), closing it behind her. The sound of the door closing echoed through the empty Hufflepuff common rooms and Minseok decided that maybe staying in for that term’s first Hogsmeade weekend doesn’t sound so bad. Not when you have the common rooms all to yourself (she doesn’t have any idea where the first and second years are, and right now she doesn’t care). She tried not to glance every now and then at the barrel like door that seemed to be taunting her and she decided to just spend half of her day to take a much needed nap.

Halfway to the much larger round door that would lead her to the girls’ dormitories, the small entrance door suddenly opened and sixth year Huang Zi Tao hopped down the tunnel gracefully in her usual scary exterior –tall figure as straight as a rod, long hair tightly tied up high and eyes half glaring through her prominent (yet adorably cute) eye bags. And then she childishly grinned and the scary façade was quickly replaced with the adorable personality she’s always had.

Sometimes she wonders if she’s the same Hogwarts’ Triwizard champion that braved all the obstacles off handedly and without a sweat from last year.

“Yixing-gege’s outside looking for you, Minseok-jie.” The sister endearment and Zi Tao’s attachment to her Chinese roots had always made Minseok smile, yet this time she only felt all the color draining from her face as Zi Tao declared in her accented English that Yixing’s outside. Bloody hell.

“Uh…ok.” Minseok found herself contemplating whether or not she should face the Head Boy waiting for her outside. Should she reprimand him and flat out reject him? Or should she just ignore the guy and lock herself up inside her room on that fine day?

“Jiejie? Are you okay? Should I just tell Yixing-ge that you’re not feeling well?”

“No!” Minseok’s reply sounded too urgent that both she and Zi Tao were taken aback. “I mean no, it’s ok. I’ll talk to him.”

“Ok…ah, jiejie, I have something to give you, by the way.” Minseok barely heard the girl as she shakily went out of the door and started trekking down the earthly passage that led to another small door. She opened it and prayed that she would gracefully swoop down the barrel exit.

Of course she didn’t, even after seven years of her stay in the Hufflepuff common room.

And out of all the days, why did it have to be today that she lost balance and go tumbling to the ground?

At least she’s not wearing a skirt and the ground’s warm and comfortable and –wait, what?

“You okay?”

Well, shite.

Minseok felt her face flush madly as she looked up and saw Yixing looking down at her. His face was etched with concern and arms still wrapped around her unbalanced body. It took a few more seconds before she scrambled off of Yixing’s warm embrace –an act she quickly regretted– before dusting off imaginary dusts on her clothes.

“Er, Zi Tao told me you wanted to see me?” Minseok asked as she ignored the blush that seemed to take permanent residence on her cheeks whenever Yixing’s around. The boy finally snapped into attention and grinned boyishly at her (she tried not to swoon, really).

“Oh, right! Well, I was wondering if you’re free today, maybe grab a butterbeer or something at the Three Broomsticks? I really need to tell you something.” Yixing had an uncertain smile on his face, an unusual sight for the always confident Gryffindor Head Boy. Minseok however paid no heed on the irregular pattern that her heart was making and focused on the anger that was slowly bubbling up within her.

“Look, Yixing. It’s nice and all, but you don’t have to do all the things on the list to humor Baekhyun or yourself.”

“P-pardon?”

Minseok sighed impatiently as she looked at the boy in front of him with cluelessness on his handsome face. She would’ve bought it, if not for the fact that Yixing himself told her how he acts confused and clueless to get out of sticky situations.

“The list that has all my secrets. Baekhyun did took it and gave it to you, didn’t she?” Minseok tried so hard not to sound harsh yet the wince that Yixing showed that she was someone not to be messed with at that time.

“Oh, I…I’m sor–”

“Ah. Is this how you’re supposed to act all clueless just so you could get out of this sticky situation?” Minseok hissed before she turned back and face the opened barrel door. “Sorry, Yixing. I’m not free today or tomorrow. Or next week. Actually, make that the rest of the term. And you can tell Byun Baekhyun to never show her arse again on the Hufflepuff table.”

Minseok then angrily crawled her way inside the tunnel, ignoring Yixing’s spluttering and slammed the door shut. Her limbs shook as she trotted her way up, even slipping a few times, yet she didn’t mind for she was too pissed off to care. A few more slip ups and she finally reached the other end, kicking the door open and jumping down the tunnel.

“What happened to you, jiejie?” Minseok’s eyes met Zi Tao’s who was lounging on one of the love seats with a book in her lap. Then the younger’s eyes travelled down on her knees and her brows furrowed. “Slipped up on the tunnel?”

Minseok looked down and saw the smudges of dirt on her jumper and jeans and she blames it all on Zhang _Freaking_ Yixing.

“Ah, jiejie, I must give you something.” Zi Tao scrambled onto her feet and pulled something from her overalls’ pocket. Minseok scrunched her nose in curiosity as Zi Tao procured a crumpled piece of parchment and handed it to the older. “Found this last Monday on the Great Hall. You must have forgotten it after you took your lunch.”

The color on Minseok’s face drained for the second time within that hour as she took the painfully familiar crumpled parchment from Zi Tao. Her hands shakily unfolded the paper and her assumptions were correct. It was the very parchment that she had written her secrets into last Monday.

“Don’t worry jiejie, nobody read this, not even me. I quickly snatched it the moment you guys left. I was trying to run after you but you walk too fast, jiejie.”

Well, fuck. If Zi Tao has the parchment all along, then that means that Yixing…

“Shite. I’m so in trouble.”

* * *

Dinner was hellish.

“So, what’s this thing I’m hearing that I’m not allowed to show my arse anymore at the Hufflepuff table?” Baekhyun declared as she squished her way between Minseok and Lu Han on the Hufflepuff table. “Last time I checked, Professor Park is still your Head of House and I’m pretty sure she wouldn’t ban me to eat beside my friends, would she?”

“Shut up.”

“Oh, but you haven’t heard the best yet.” Lu Han chuckled and Minseok was near to stabbing her fork at Lu Han and gouge her twinkling eyes, Oh Sehun and his tantrums be damned. “Have you heard how Kim Minseok turned down the infamous Gryffindor Head Boy Zhang Yixing?”

“Bloody hell you didn’t! Minseok!” Baekhyun half shrieked, ignoring the curious stares from other students as she slapped Minseok’s arm repeatedly while the latter just whined and tried to stop Baekhyun. “So that’s why Yixing’s been on the blues this afternoon! How could you do that?”

“Well, I thought you smuggled the parchment that I wrote my secrets in and gave it to him. He’s been doing the exact same things listed on the parchment.” MInseok groaned and finally slapped Baekhyun’s arm away from her.

“Well, glad to know that you trust me so much.”

“There’s a reason why you’re sorted in Gryffindor, Baekhyun, and it’s definitely not because of your trust worthiness.”

“Indeed. So, where’s this parchment now?” Baekhyun asked as a plate full of grilled pork belly, mushrooms and lettuce for a samgyeopsal meal appeared in front of her. “Cool. I should have tried asking for this way back in first year.”

“Zi Tao has it all along.” Lu Han chuckled and stole some pork belly from the plate before wrapping them on the lettuce and eating it in one go. “Gosh, this would go perfectly with some soju.”

“So it means Yixing really did everything on the list without knowing it?”

“Kind of.” Minseok sighed as she poked the leftovers on her plate. “What do I do now? I messed up.”

“If I were you, I’d totally go over the Gryffindor table and say sorry then ask him out tomorrow since it is still Hogsmeade weekend. But then again, there’s a reason why you’re sorted in Hufflepuff, Minseok, and it’s definitely not because of your courage.” Baekhyun taunted as she and Lu Han chuckled before digging on the samgyeopsal in front of them.

Minseok could only groan as she glanced over the Gryffindor table and caught a glimpse of Yixing who was talking with some of his mates, though she could tell the boy was only in the conversation half-heartedly. And it’s all her fault, or rather the quill’s fault. Or whoever placed that bloody quill (though she still believes it’s Professor Nam who did it). Her hand suddenly reached out for the lump on her pocket –the quill that she decided to throw out earlier yet seemed to have forgotten– and the weight of her situation fell on her shoulders once more.

Another groan escaped her and she told herself to fix things after dinner because she feels she had treated Yixing unfairly. Definitely after dinner. Which is within five minutes. Great. A movement on the corner of her eyes told her that Yixing is already making his way towards the exit.

Okay, maybe she’ll rectify the situation later this evening. Or maybe tomorrow. Or how about never? She’s not a courageous and daring Gryffindor after all. But then again, she’s a trust worthy and fair judgement believer Hufflepuff and the nagging feeling she has will eat her up until she dies in anxiety and guilt.

“Just go. I’m pretty sure Yixing wouldn’t lash out on you, just like someone I knew.” Baekhyun said through a half-full mouth, earning a disgusted look from both Lu Han and Minseok. Minseok then sighed and took a gulp of pomegranate juice from her goblet before standing. “Oh. You’re really going after Yixing?”

“Why not? Just because I’m in Hufflepuff doesn’t mean I don’t have a streak of bravery in me.” Minseok shrugged at Baekhyun’s startled expression before turning towards the doors in hopes that Yixing is still around. And Lady Luck must be on her side that night (or someone just slipped a dose of Felix Felicis in her drink) for there Yixing was, slowly walking towards the staircase that would lead him towards the Head Boy and Head Girl dormitories.

_Here goes nothing._

“Yi-Yixing!” Minseok almost cursed herself when her voice quivered but it was almost forgotten when Yixing turned towards her. She quickly jogged her way towards the boy while shaking off her anxiety. “Hey…”

“Uh…hey, Minseok.”

“Look. I’m really sorry abou–”

“No! I should be the one sorry. I really didn’t mean to.” The Hufflepuff girl blinked as Yixing cut her off. “I mean I should have told you earlier instead of invading your privacy. I shouldn’t have read the list without your consent.”

The anger that Minseok had tried so hard to forget quickly resurfaced. Does that mean Baekhyun and Zi Tao were lying? Her voice quivered once more though this time, it wasn’t because she was antsy. Oh no, definitely not antsy.

“You…did what?”

“Wait, let me explain.”

“Oh you better give a good explanation, Zhang Yixing. Because I don’t give a damn if you’re the Head Boy, so help me Merlin I will cut off your–”

“Let’s not resort to that kind of violence, please.” Yixing chuckled though Minseok could tell it was a nervous one. “I reckon you still have that quill?”

Okay, how did Yixing knew about the quill? Bloody hell, must be because of Byun Baekhyun’s big, loud mouth. And ironically, Minseok did have the quill right at that moment. She fingered the edge of her pocket where the quill was hastily tucked inside. Yixing’s eyes followed her hand, an amused smile made its way towards his handsome face and before she knew it, Yixing was already dragging her up the stairs.

“W-wait…where are you taking me?”

Yixing just chuckled and continued to pull her towards the maze of hallways and staircases. Minseok was seriously contemplating to hex the boy into the next millennium, if not for the fact that they already stopped in front of a portrait of an elegant unicorn grazing over a lush hilltop.

“Pepero kisses.” Yixing muttered, making the unicorn emit a low whinny that soon gave way to the portrait swinging open. “You have to swear you didn’t hear the password. Kyungsoo will definitely burn my clothes, for real this time.” The Gryffindor muttered as he led Minseok inside the infamous Head Boy and Girl dormitories. 

“She…burns clothes?” Of all the questions that Minseok can blurt out, of course the dumbest ones were high on her list. Trust her old, blabbering mouth and disoriented mind.

“Almost. She singed the ends of my Gryffindor robes last time I let Baekhyun and Jongdae in. While I’m still wearing them, mind you. Well for the record, they did replace all her teacups with those nose biting ones in revenge for Sehun and Jongin’s stunt last Monday. You heard that one right? Seulgi went bald at Potions class. I’m telling you, she’s a spawn of Satan and the twin sister of Voldemort.” Yixing then stopped in the middle of the dorm’s common rooms –an elegant mix of Gryffindor Red and Slytherin Green wallpaper and furniture that it felt like the room was already decorated for Christmas. “Wait for me here and make yourself comfortable.”

Minseok blinked as Yixing quickly went up the small flight of stairs that led to the loft with two adjacent doors –must be the rooms, she reckons– and went inside. She then huffed and chose to sit on the carpeted floor instead (the wooly carpet’s thick and warm and fairly comfortable anyway) while eyeing the green couches and red loveseats warily. If Baekhyun, Jongdae, Chanyeol and Sehun stayed at this room for some time and Kyungsoo lives here, fat chance that at least all the couches might be jinxed. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

The sound of the door slamming shut broke Minseok’s train of thoughts and soon enough Yixing was standing in front of her with a confused look.

“Well, you did mention that Baekhyun and Jongdae went up here. Just being careful.”

“Fair enough.” Yixing chuckled before plopping on the floor beside Minseok. She tried to will down the blush that was quickly forming on her cheeks, her senses invaded by Yixing’s distinct smell and welcoming warmth. She didn’t even notice him levitating the coffee table towards them until said object was already in front of them. Then she watched Yixing placing a few parchments on the table. “You have the quill with you, right?”

The girl nodded and hesitantly took the said object from her pocket before placing it on the table.

“But I still don’t understand… Zi Tao gave me the parchment earlier and…” Minseok muttered as Yixing handed her a rather ordinary looking parchment before taking the quill.

“Watch carefully…”

Yixing then started writing on a piece of parchment with the enchanted quill, paying no heed on Minseok’s warnings. When he was done, he motioned for her to look at the parchment in her hands and she almost threw the offending thing in shock.

_I think Kim Joonmyun’s kind of cute._

“What the…”

“I found that parchment on Professor Shim’s classroom last Monday. I thought it was a spare one and took it since I was needing some parchment anyway… then, well… that thing with you happened and I thought, it was rather odd since you don’t usually do those kinds of things. Then when the class ended, you could guess my surprise when I found the exact same words that you uttered in front of the whole class written on the parchment.” The words that Yixing said barely registered on Minseok’s swirling mind as she thought of the whole situation. She didn’t even realize that the boy in front of her was sporting a hint of blush on his cheeks. Fuck, she literally sent her deepest darkest thoughts to Zhang Yixing himself. So that was why he was looking confused when she saw him that time on Ancient Runes class. She’s so gonna kill Professor Nam (she’s sure of it) for this prank.

“Then come lunch time and more…secrets were written. Then I deduced that maybe your quill is enchanted along with the parchment…” The blush on Yixing’s cheeks intensified, yet it was nothing compared on the color that Minseok’s cheeks were shaded in.

“Bloody hell… you knew all along!” Minseok quipped, finding herself sending a punch on Yixing’s arm that the other shrugged off with a nervous chuckle.

“Kind of… I was contemplating whether or not I should indulge you just to test if what was written in the parchment was true. Don’t worry, I won’t tell that you…er…kind of made out with Kyungsoo and used polyjuice potion to check on…uh, Chanyeol’s size.”

Okay, include Baekhyun and Lu Han on the list to be killed come night time.

“Oh, hell no. No, no, no. That was Lu Han and Baekhyun…I was showing them the charmed quill and let them try it since they were doubtful about it.”

“Oh…interesting friends we have, no?”

“Yeah…” Minseok muttered as her eyes roamed on the now fading words on the parchment, making her blush quickly die out. “So…um, Kim Joonmyun huh?”

Yixing shrugged and smiled mischievously.

“Well, you have to admit she’s kind of cute. Definitely crush material, you know. Can’t say the same to Jongdae, though.”

“Sod off.” Minseok pouted as the words finally sunk in her. Merlin’s blue balls, Yixing likes Kim Joonmyun which means her chances with Yixing (not that there’s any) were already down the drain. Her pout was quickly gone in an instant and she found herself shakily standing up. “Uh…I think I need to go now…”

“Oh, so soon?” Yixing’s playful demeanor seemed to have gone as well, but Minseok ignored it as she nodded vigorously.

“Curfew’s almost coming and I don’t want to risk it.”

“I could always escort you back. I am the Head Boy after all.”

“Arrogant git.” Minseok muttered under her breath before quickly and politely declining Yixing’s offer. “No it’s okay…”

“Oh…but I was thinking…never mind. Let me walk you to your dorm at least?” Yixing promptly stood as well, dusting off his pants and it made Minseok’s heart skip a beat. Really, she has got to stop pining for this boy since he likes Joonmyun. And no, her heart just didn’t break just a little at the thought of Yixing and Joonmyun together. Nope. Definitely not, shut up.

“Thanks but, I don’t know, maybe next time.” _If there is a next time, that is._ “See you around.” Minseok quickly backed off and half sprinted towards the doors, thankful that Yixing seemed to be too startled to follow her out of the dorms. She quickly sprinted towards the basement where the Hufflepuff common rooms were and she has to give it to herself when she jumped down the barrel like door with shaky limbs and tearful eyes.

At least the common room is empty and Lu Han wasn’t in their shared room.

And only as she was pulling the drapes over her bed to hide her from the rest of her roommates did she realized that she left the quill back on Yixing’s dorm and that the charmed parchment is still clutched on her trembling hands, with traces of Yixing’s messy scribbles barely fading. Fresh tears soon welled up on Minseok’s eyes and she decided to throw the paper on the edge of her bed.

Just as she was about to curl up under her blanket and cry herself to sleep, a sudden movement from the parchment caught her eye and before she knew it, there was a line of messy scribbles on the parchment. Minseok hesitantly reached for the parchment and rubbed her eyes clear just so she could read the words coherently.

_Sometimes I pretend to be clueless to get away from sticky situations._

“But it’s not a secret anymore now, is it, Yixing?” Minseok scoffed. This is so just what she needs, Yixing rubbing it in her face by using the charmed quill to tell her about his fantasies on Joonmyun. Before the note faded, scribbles started forming once more.

_Minseok’s almond shaped eyes are much more adorable._

Okay, that was definitely a figment of her imagination and faulty eyes.

_Minseok’s smiles are the only things that I notice and think of nowadays._

Alright. Cool. Yixing thinks about her smile. No big deal right? She does think of somebody else’s smiles too sometimes, like how Baekhyun’s smile seemed to be a rectangular shaped one or Kyungsoo’s rare smiles that were enhanced with her heart shaped lips. It’s normal, right?

_Minseok wearing one of my quidditch shirts would definitely be a sight I wanted to see._

By this time, Minseok was already sitting up the bed with eyes void of any tears and insides shaking in whatever reason she doesn’t give a damn to ponder about. What the hell is Yixing writing? And then there were lines upon lines that were hastily scribbled and Minseok swore she died as her eyes skimmed on the words over and over again.

_It makes me jealous whenever other guys stare at her during classes instead of paying attention to the professor._

_That time in the library with her_ _yesterday was definitely the best day of my life._

_I feel like I’m a sucky Gryffindor, can’t even ask her out on a date even after pining for her for the last five years._

Yixing.

Date.

Pining.

Five years.

Tears finally fell through Minseok’s cheeks, though this time her heart wasn’t even breaking into a million pieces. And she concluded that indeed, Zhang Yixing is a sucky Gryffindor that has to resort to using a charmed quill and parchment just so he could tell Minseok how much he likes her.

* * *

“Really people, do you even read your books and listen to my lessons?” Professor Shim drawled as he walked around the room and handed the class their latest exam –yep, that one where Minseok used the charmed quill for the first time. Come to think of it, it doesn’t matter if Minseok did well on the exam or not, after all it seemed like Professor Shim only knows only three grades: Poor, Dreadful and Troll. Even the class’ brightest student (which happens to be surprise, surprise, Lu Han) barely got an Acceptable grade.

“Here you go, Ms. Kim. Tell me, have you shagged the daylights off of Mr. Zhang just yet?” A snide came off of Professor Shim just as he handed Minseok her barely empty quiz, saved from her embarrassing confession written on top. Minseok just shrugged, not really in the mood for a banter, and took the parchment from Professor Shim which was, as expected, graded with a ‘Troll’ in a tauntingly elegant penmanship.

She glanced over where Yixing was sitting, a smile already forming on his face as their eyes met and it made Minseok’s inside warm.

“You guys make me sick.” Lu Han hissed beside her as Professor Shim handed out the last exam to the last student with a scathing remark.

“Please, Lu. You and Sehun are much worse.”

Time seemed to have doubled up in being slow during Professor Shim’s class, or maybe that’s Shim Changmin’s charm; making everything excruciatingly and painfully slow while torturing you to death with his drawled words. Minseok was halfway to dreamland when finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of the torturous class. A small smile made its way towards Minseok’s face as she gathered her things before walking towards the door where Yixing was already waiting.

“See you around, professor.” She even smiled ever so brightly at Professor Shim who shot her a suspicious look before she met Yixing and quickly pulled her to the nearest alcove.

“So, did you do it?”

“Yep, and any minute now, he’s going to see it.”

It would have been a sight to behold, finding Minseok and Yixing cramped inside a small alcove in a very compromising position, but neither minded. After all, between the intimate back hug and tangled limbs, their eyes were not on each other but on the parchment on Minseok’s hands.

When Minseok vowed revenge, one should know that she would definitely do it. After all, it’s just fair that Professor Shim gets to try using the charmed quill as well as getting his deepest, darkest secret, blurted out in front of an audience, right?

It felt too long –so typical of Professor Shim, so long that Minseok feared she’ll be late for her next class until an elegant penmanship appeared on the parchment.

_I’m still having erectile dysfunction_

What the hell.

“Oh, this is so good.” Yixing chuckled as he reread the contents over and over again before letting out a loud laugh. Minseok, however, gently elbowed Yixing in fear that Professor Shim might discover them.  A loud curse from the nearby classroom followed by the door slamming alerted both students, and thankfully Minseok was too fast to slip the parchment inside her sling bag before the heavy tapestry covering the entrance of the alcove was roughly yanked open.

“What, pray tell, are you two doing, Ms. Kim?” Professor Shim half snarled, his face almost turning purple in anger and despite the fact that a teacher just caught her and Yixing on a very compromising position inside an alcove, Minseok found the hilarity of it that she resisted the urge to chuckle so hard.

“Uh…shagging the daylights off of Zhang Yixing?”

And despite the ten-point deduction and another week’s detention that Minseok earned, her smile never faltered for the rest of the term, not when the Great Hall was buzzing in excitement and curiosity and mirth about Professor Shim’s secret (yep, it never gets old, not even to his fellow professors) for more than half of the term.

Oh, and of course there’s her sweet boyfriend Zhang Yixing who she gets to date every Hogsmeade weekend and shag the daylights off of whenever she wanted, and this is all because of one thing that she never thought she would be eternally grateful for.

Quills.

* * *

 


End file.
